Laredo Birding Festival Showcases Hundreds of Species

Wednesday January 23, 2013   |

LAREDO, TX. - The City of Laredo has selected the Rio Grande International Study Center to serve as event organizer for the multi-day festival, scheduled to run February 6-9, 2013.

"It's amazing to know that our unique river eco-system and scenic South Texas ranchland support abundant wildlife and so many birds that come from as far away as Canada and the Central American tropics," said Tricia Cortez, RGISC executive director.

"We want to showcase the best of Laredo's natural beauty and Mexican cultural flair, as a way to help the city build its eco-tourism base," Cortez added.

The Laredo Birding Festival is an offering that is now in its fifth year and has always the potential to attract a niche market of baby boomer traveling adults.

Species include Laredo's prized bird, the White-Collared Seedeater, and other avian beauties such as the Scaled Quail, Gray Hawk, Altamira Oriole, Brown Jay, Green Parakeets, Muscovy Duck, Great Kiskadee, Crested Caracara and many others.

During the four-day Laredo Birding Festival, birders will have a chance to select from a variety of full-day scenic trips escorted by professional field guides and members of the Monte Mucho Audubon Society.

The event will culminate with a Farewell Banquet featuring Sandy Komito, holder of the Big Year record of 748 bird species in a single year. Set it 1998, his record still stands and was the focus of the book and Hollywood film "The Big Year," released in 2012.

For more information, contact the RGISC office at (956) 718-1063 or laredobirdingfestival@rgisc.org, or visit www.laredobirdingfestival.com.